To Have, To Hold, To Love
by simplyxamazing
Summary: On the day of Peter's wedding to another woman, Claire decides to tell him how she feels.[Paire]


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Heroes. If I did, Peter and Claire wouldn't be related.

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It has been six years since Peter rescued me and five since I moved in with him. I've been in love with him all six years, and on the day he's getting married; I've finally decided to tell him. It's ironic actually, once I think about it. The day that's supposed to be about their love for each other, I'm going to tell him I'm in love with him. More than likely he'll laugh in my face, but at this point I really don't care. I've lied to him, and myself, long enough.

I take three deep breaths before knocking twice on the door to where he's changing.

"One second!" he calls, and I can hear the nervousness in his voice. I smile. The door opens and reveals Peter in a tux, having trouble with his tie. I close the door behind me.

"Let me fix that." I tell him and began to tie it. He smiles.

"Thanks…You would think I would know how to tie these things by now." He says and I laugh mostly to cover up my own nervousness.

"Um…Peter?" I ask. He looks up at my face and gives me a questioning look. At that point I became too scared to tell him, so I thought of something else.

"I just realized I never told you congratulations. I'm really happy for you." I lied, and he smiled. I finished fixing up his tie and then began to walk out of the room. I got to the threshold when I stopped. Now was my only chance, and I was determined to tell him. I turned around.

"Actually I'm not." He gave me another questioning look before asking,

"You're not what?" I took a deep breath.

"I'm not happy for you." He looked hurt, and turned away. I walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm not happy for you because…" I trailed off, and he turned back around.

"Because why? What did I do for you not to be happy for me on the most important day of my life? We've lived together for five years. God, Claire you're in my wedding. You're the closest thing I have to a best friend." I felt tears beginning to form.

"I'm not happy for you because it should be me!" I yelled in his face and then turned and started to run off. Peter was quicker, though, and grabbed my wrist before I could get away.

"Claire…" he started, and searched my face for an explanation. I yanked my arm away from his grasp and cut him off.

"I know, okay?" I yelled and dropped my gaze.

"I know I'm too young for you, and it would never work. I know you're getting married in half an hour. I know you still think of me as the cheerleader you saved five years ago." I dropped my voice to a whisper. "I get it, I understand. It's just…I needed to tell you okay? You need to know I love you, because after you get married I won't say it again. I'll leave you alone. It's about time I got my own place anyway. Maybe you'll be better off without me." I cursed the tears that started to fall. I wanted him to think I was strong. He ran his fingers through his hair, a sign I had learned to mean he was frustrated.

"Is that what you think?" he asked and brushed away my tears with his fingertips. I nodded.

"What else am I supposed to think? You're getting married today, and not to me. We've lived together for five years, and never once have you let on you think of me as anything but a friend." He let out a frustrated sigh.

"For God's sake Claire, you were 16! You weren't even legal yet. How the hell was I supposed to explain I was in love with someone who was ten years younger than me?" I had barely grasped the fact that he said he had been in love with me, and continued our arguing.

"Well, I'm not 16 anymore. I'm 22, which means I've been legal for four years. Four long years, during which I lived in the same house as you! What? You just lost interest once you could actually have me?" he shook his head and glanced down.

"That wasn't it. I-"He sighed. "I didn't know how you felt. You always had that guy around, and I thought you loved him." I shook my head and laughed.

"Zach? He's my best friend. I mean sure, I love him, but not like that. He's the only one who I trusted completely. Before I met you, he was the one who was always there for me." Peter glanced back up.

"I'm an idiot." He mumbled, and I giggled.

"I've always thought so." He laughed.

"So what do we do now?" he asked. I shrugged.

"That depends." I told him.

"On what?" he asked. I bit my lip and thought.

"On you and who you love. If it's her then go, be with her. When Nathan says it's time, I'll go. I'll put a smile on, and be in your wedding." I looked down.

"And if it's you?" he asked. I smiled faintly.

"Then I'll be waiting." He nodded and left the room. I walked aimlessly around, inspecting everything in the room. There were flowers set up everywhere, waiting to be moved to the reception. I sighed and sat down in the nearest chair. The only thing left to do was to wait for one of the two Petrelli brothers to walk through the door.

After about fifteen minutes of waiting, Peter walked through the door. My face lit up. He smiled.

"Come on, you're going to be late for the wedding." My face fell, and I tried to suppress the tears that were trying to fall.

"But, I thought-" he cut me off.

"I hope you're not wearing that to your wedding." he said and then smirked. I was wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. I wondered if I heard him wrong.

"What?" I asked him, and he began to walk closer.

"I know its short notice, but…" he got down on one knee and intertwined our hands. My heart started beating faster. "I know I've been an idiot all these years, but I love you. I always have. I'm sorry it took until my wedding day to say it." Tears of joy streamed down my face. "What I'm trying to say is…Claire Bennett, will you marry me?" I nodded and managed to choke out a yes. He stood up off his knees, and captured my lips with his own. When we pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." I whispered back. He grabbed my hand, and we walked out of the church. Sure, I should've been concerned about all the guests and the ex-bride-to-be, but I wasn't. I was with Peter, and that was all that would ever matter.

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